Friends of the Upper East Side Historic Districts
Architecture and PlanningNew York, United States2-10 Employees
Based in New York City, the Friends of the Upper East Side Historic Districts is an independent nonprofit membership organization founded in 1982 that focuses on preserving the architectural legacy, livability, and sense of place of the Upper East Side. The organization provides information and guidance to property owners and actively participates in public decisions affecting historic and cultural resources, monitoring and testifying before bodies such as the Community Board, Landmarks Preservation Commission, City Planning Commission, Public Design Commission, and City Council to advocate for development that respects the area's historic resources. Beyond advocacy, the organization engages the broader public through lectures, walking tours, and annual awards for community service and preservation projects. It also offers educational programming for students in grades 1 through 5 to foster appreciation of the built environment and neighborhood history, aiming to cultivate early interest in architecture, history, and preservation and to promote community pride. In 2018, Friends launched Shaped by Immigrants: A History of Yorkville, an illustrated history of Yorkville's development and its immigrant roots.